| This book is not about stamp collecting as such, but it should be in the library of every serious collector, because without it few of us would be able to distinguish between the numerous varieties that occur both on common stamps and scarce stamps. The first edition was excellent; this second edition, on which L. N. Williams worked for eight years, is even better. The book provides a thorough discussion of paper and of papermaking techniques; of design processes, die making, and the various methods of creating plates from dies; of printing methods and machinery; of separation methods and machinery, including the different kinds of perforating machines; of "gum" and its characteristics; of inks used for stamp production; and of the various ways in which errors, freaks and other unintended varieties can occur at various stages of the design and production process. It is superb and necessary background for deciding what one is looking at when that isn't immediately obvious, with very many high quality illustrations to help the reader understand the subtleties. I couldn't do without it. |
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